The Odd One Out
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Dennis starts causing trouble for Timothy by saying he's not useful, but soon gets his comeuppance.


Timothy is an oil-burning steam engine who works at the China Clay Works, and the only oil-burning standard gauge steam engine on the whole of Sodor.

Bill and Ben teased him about this once, but they soon got their comeuppance when they ran out of coal.

However, today was different.

Timothy was resting in the shed, ready for the day when Bill and Ben raced up into the pits, after taking a train to the Docks.

"It's not fair!" grumbled Ben.

"What isn't fair?" asked Timothy.

"That blasted Dennis! He teased us, calling us 'small' at the Docks! Pah, we're not small at all!" snorted Bill.

Timothy was confused.

"What's Dennis doing there?"

"Apparently the Fat Controller sent him there to learn the importance of hard work or something." said Bill.

"If you ask me, he's never going to learn it." puffed Marion, who had been digging nearby.

"Your next train's to the Docks, Timothy. Chop chop." said his driver.

Timothy was a little worried as he collected his trucks.

"Trust us Timothy, be careful." called Bill as Timothy puffed away.

At the Docks, Dennis was on a siding, sleeping.

"*ahem*" huffed Arthur, who was trying to put some fish vans in the siding.

Dennis opened a sleepy eye.

"Go away."

"No, you have to move." said Arthur patiently, "I'm supposed to drop off these vans, and you're in the way."

"Ugh, ok, ok."

So Dennis scurried out of the siding and next to Timothy, who had just arrived with the China Clay.

He sneered as he looked over the blue engine.

"Well, well. Look at this kettle." snorted Dennis, "I don't understand why you burn oil. Why don't you be a Diesel instead?"

Timothy looked over, taken aback.

"What? But what's wrong with being an oil-burning steam engine?"

"Everything. It's contradictory of the whole board Timothy. You must be ashamed." and Dennis oiled away to find another siding to sleep in.

Timothy was stunned.

He looked down sadly at his buffers.

"What did I do?"

"You did nothing wrong." Arthur spoke up, "Dennis is just a bully. He's been getting worse lately, but still, he's always been like this."

Timothy sighed sadly.

"Am I really what he said-"

"No, no!" cried Arthur, but Timothy wasn't so sure.

"I'll... be back Arthur."

Timothy puffed away, after being uncoupled.

"Oh dear." worried Arthur, "That really took a blow at his confidence."

Timothy was very sad as he puffed back to the China Clay Works; unlike Bill and Ben, Dennis wasn't joking.

"Why does he think that of me?" wondered Timothy, "Maybe he's right. After all, I'm always the odd one out..."

He sighed as he puffed into the China Clay Pits, with another line of trucks waiting for him.

"Sorry you have to go back right away," said Marion, "But we have a big order, and you can't slow down digging!"

"Right..." sighed Timothy as he puffed away with the trucks.

"What's wrong with Timothy? You haven't been teasing him again, have you?" asked Marion.

"We promise Marion that we haven't." said Bill.

"Then what's wrong with him? He's usually upbeat and optimistic."

The twins could only look worriedly to each other; they didn't want to upset Marion even more.

Timothy puffed slowly into the Docks, looking around cautiously for Dennis, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Phew. That's a relief." said Timothy slowly.

Suddenly Dennis biffed into the back of his train.

"Hey!" cried Timothy.

"Oh, didn't see you there. Now move along, you pathetic engine, unless you need _me_ of all engines to push you." scoffed Dennis.

Timothy was no longer happy as he slowly puffed to Cranky.

"Erm... sorry about Dennis over there." said Cranky, "Don't ask me what the Fat Controller was thinking."

Timothy sighed as a tear began to form.

"Oh, don't take it personally, and this is coming from a crane who insults other engines." said Cranky, "Dennis is just being stupid."

"Again?" muttered Porter nearby.

He puffed up to Timothy.

"Just like I told Harvey, Timothy; water off a duck's back."

Timothy looked up to him.

"I suppose, but it's easier to remember negative things than positive things."

"Ain't that ironic." muttered Cranky.

Dennis raced up to the trio.

"Oi! Get back to work or I'll notify the Fat Controller!"

The engines were all agitated, but set to work anyway, all except Timothy, who just puffed back to the China Clay Works.

Timothy puffed into the Clay Pits, depressed and distraught.

"Hello Timothy! What's with you?" asked Marion.

Timothy said nothing as he puffed into a shed.

"Timothy, what in the blazes are you doing?" asked Marion severely, "You should know that work comes before anything else."

"Go on, Marion. Do the work... I'm too weak to do it." sighed Timothy.

"But you're special Timothy, in a good way too!" said Marion cheerily.

"Marion, that's not helping." said Ben.

"I know, but.. well, we have to get him out of there somehow."

The manager came to see what the commotion was.

"What's going on? Timothy, what are you doing?"

Timothy didn't say anything, and instead just puffed further into the shed so he was out of sight.

The manager turned to Marion and the twins.

"Alright then, you three. What happened here?"

"I think we can answer that." said Bill, "Dennis is being a jerk to everybody."

"And? Timothy's been teased before." said the manager.

"He's really sad about himself...sir." said Marion awkwardly.

"I see then... uh... we'll just leave him alone. Back to work now." and the manager walked away, worried about Timothy.

The Docks was still as busy as ever, but Dennis was also just as lazy as ever.

"Come on Dennis, stop fooling around and help me." grumbled Porter.

"I can't. I'm tired." complained Dennis.

Porter whistled loudly.

Dennis was startled and raced forward.

"I suppose' _that_ got you to move." said Porter sternly.

Dennis scowled, just as the Dock Manager came up.

"Dennis, I'm unimpressed with your work here. I think you should take a goods train to the Clay Pits. Perhaps then you'll at least _try_."

Dennis rolled his eyes as he was coupled up to some trucks full of machinery.

"Of course, sure. Sure." grumbled Dennis as he biffed the trucks hard.

"Hey, hey!" shouted the trucks.

"Come along, you imbeciles. Make this as quick as possible."

"Oh, we will." said the trucks earnestly.

Dennis thought he had everything under control, but the trucks had other ideas.

Dennis was going very slowly out of the Docks due to his laziness.

"Hey Dennis!" shouted a truck, "Perhaps you should go faster!"

"What?"

Before Dennis could react, the trucks started bumping into him, causing Dennis to go faster.

"Eh, at least I won't have to do any work." Dennis chuckled.

The trucks took offense to that, and biffed Dennis hard.

"Ah!" cried Dennis as he surged forward and gained speed.

"On! On! On!" The heavy machinery inside the trucks made it easier for the trucks to gain speed.

A hill was in the distance, and Dennis braked hard.

"No! I will not do work!" he cried helplessly, but the trucks pushed him onward.

"Weeehooo!" they cried as Dennis reached the top of the hill.

"Faster! Faster!" the trucks screeched as Dennis raced down the hill, towards the Clay Pits.

"On! On! On!"

"Oh no!" shouted Dennis when he noticed a large curve ahead.

"Not the ditch! I hate mud!" scowled Dennis as the driver tried to brake, but the trucks kept at their game.

Karma soon came for the lazy diesel as he flew off the curve and into a bush.

"Ow!" cried Dennis as he hit the ground with a loud thump, "Help me, I'm in critical condition!"

The driver leaned out of his cab.

"Oh, snap out of it. You're fine... We just need somebody to help."

He telephoned the China Clay Works.

"Assistance please." he said into his phone and sat on top of a rock nearby.

"Great, just leave me here(!)" growled Dennis.

Timothy was still in his shed when the manager came to see him.

"Timothy? ...Timothy?" he called, walking into the shed.

Timothy didn't answer.

"Come on Timothy, we're your friends. That, and I have an important job for you."

"I'm not the proper engine for it." said Timothy sadly, "I'm an oil-burning steam engine..."

"Oh, yes you are the proper engine." grinned the manager, "Dennis crashed at the curve along the line. Typical of him honestly. The Fat Controller told me to send for you to collect Jerome and Judy from the yard."

Timothy slowly puffed out of his shed.

"R-really?"

"Yes Timothy. Everybody else is busy working except you." said the manager.

"Alright sir... I'll do my best." said Timothy, now gaining his confidence back.

"That's my engine! Now go." and the manager got out of Timothy's way as the blue tank engine raced away to the yard. Bill and Ben had been watching the whole ordeal and grinned to each other.

Timothy raced into Knapford Yards.

"Coming through!" cried Timothy as he raced past Dave, who was working in the yard.

"What's wrong Timothy?" asked Dave.

"No time to explain!" said Timothy confidently as he puffed alongside Jerome and Judy.

Timothy whistled loudly to wake them up.

"Jerome!" stuttered Judy.

"Judy!" cried Jerome.

"Emergency!" the two cranes shouted in unison.

"Yes, indeed it's an emergency! Dennis is off the line! Quickly now!" Timothy cried as he was coupled up.

"Ready and waiting!" said Jerome.

Timothy heaved forward, his little wheels whirring.

"Go Timothy!" cheered Dave as he honked his horn.

For the first time all day, Timothy smiled broadly.

Meanwhile, Dennis was still in the ditch.

"Stop playing 'Candy Crush'! I can hear it from here!" complained Dennis, but his driver didn't listen.

"I'm bored," he explained.

"Great..."

Suddenly he heard a whistle.

"Who's that?" wondered the gray Diesel.

A familiar blue engine caught Dennis' eye.

"Oh, bother." he muttered as Timothy arrived with Jerome and Judy.

"Hello there Dennis! Don't worry, happy to help!" Timothy said cheerfully.

Dennis looked away crossly.

Timothy puffed onto the trucks' track, and took the unhurt trucks away.

"Ow! Ow!" cried the trucks as Timothy biffed them.

Jerome and Judy, meanwhile, lifted the damaged trucks onto some flatbeds.

"Alright, you naughty menaces, hopefully this'll teach you." said Judy.

"Causing emergencies intentionally is horrid." agreed Jerome.

The trucks groaned in despair.

After some more cleaning up, it was finally time to put Dennis back on the rails.

The cranes' cables were attached around Dennis.

"Lift up Judy!"

"Yes Jerome, I'm doing it!"

Timothy watched anxiously as Jerome and Judy lifted Dennis into the air.

"Put me down _now_!" cried Dennis angrily.

"We will, but not yet." said Judy.

"We must be careful." said Jerome.

Dennis was fuming as he was put back on the rails.

"About time." he scowled, eyeing Jerome and Judy.

"Oh, sorry we came. Perhaps we should just put you back in the ditch." huffed Jerome crossly.

Dennis' eyes grew wide.

"No, no! I'm sorry, I'm fine!"

Timothy chuckled as he puffed behind him.

"Let's get you back to the Washdown." he said, "You're covered in moss."

Dennis said nothing as Timothy pushed Dennis, Jerome and Judy back to the yard.

The Fat Controller was waiting at the yard when Timothy pulled up with Jerome, Judy, and Dennis.

"Ah Timothy, good to see you, and I might add, a very excellent rescue." said the Fat Controller.

Timothy grinned.

"Thank you sir." he said gratefully.

Dennis squirmed.

"And you Dennis have been the complete opposite, causing delays at the Docks and mocking the other engine, especially Timothy here. You shall stay at the Dieselworks until I can properly understand that you are not prejudiced." the Fat Controller scolded.

Dennis sighed.

"Yes sir, sorry sir...and Timothy?"

"Yes?"

"I'm... sorry for what I did. I was completely wrong... I guess... I had a bad week, but that doesn't excuse anything I did."

The Fat Controller smiled slightly.

"Well Dennis, I'm glad you admitted you were in the wrong. However, I'm still going to send you to the Dieselworks, since you're not getting off scot-free."

"Yes sir." said Dennis solemnly.

Timothy whistled and puffed back to the Clay Pits.

At the Clay Pits, the manager was pleased to see Timothy looking bright and cheerful again.

"So Timothy, how do you feel now?" he asked.

"I feel great sir, and I feel special, in my own way, and that'll never get in my way again."

Marion, Bill and Ben whistled with delight as the China Clay Pits went back to work.


End file.
